1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to steam trap instruments and more particularly to a device for monitoring the operating condition of steam traps to determine, for example, whether or not the steam traps are leaking steam and to measure the leakage of steam
A steam trap is usually mounted on steam lines or equipment using steam and permits only the automatic removal of collected water without the leakage of steam. More and more strict observation of steam leaks has come to be required as a result of a rise in fuel cost. Avoiding steam leakage has now become a prerequisite for the adoption of the steam trap. Steam-pipelines, after installation, are strictly monitored and a steam trap which is leaking steam is repaired or replaced quickly.
There have been developed and put to practical use various types of steam trap leakage detectors.
For instance, a sight window is provided in the pipeline on the outlet side of the steam trap to allow visual observation of the state of a fluid inside the equipment, and also a temperature gauge and vibrometer are employed to measure the surface temperature of the steam trap and the sonic characteristics of the flow of the fluid.
In either case, only a qualitative observation is made on leakage of the steam trap and a quantitative measurement of leakage cannot be made. Therefore, an evaluation of the degree of leakage can only be made by human evaluation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, there have been developed simple steam trap leakage detectors.
One such detector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-57499. This is a device for determining steam leakage on the basis of a correlation between sensed vibrations and steam pressure as a parameter and steam leakage data that have been measured and stored in advance. The device operates by applying a detector,including a vibration sensor and a temperature sensor that are built in, to the outside surface of a casing of the steam trap.
Another device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-56521 is disposed between the steam supply and the steam trap, and steam leakage is determined from a correlation between the quantity of steam passing through an orifice and the water level o its primary side.
The aforementioned device is capable of determining the operation of each steam trap and of measuring steam leakage, but troublesome manual operation is required for the preparation of a list of results of operational determinations and leakage measurement, and for a summation of leakage and of a totalization and analysis of leakage in terms of monetary costs or rejection rate. In addition, repair or replacement of a trap which leaks steam is carried out after checkups, and, accordingly, positive maintenance of the steam traps could not be accomplished.